“I’m sorry, Juniper,” he said softly. “Your Gran was truly one-of-a-kind.”
“She was,” I replied, holding back tears. “I just wish I’d had more time with her.”
After a brief pause, Mr. Anderson added, “Did you get the $20,000 she left you?”
I stared at him in disbelief. “What? No, I didn’t know.”
“She left you $20,000 in her will,” he explained, frowning. “I assumed your family told you.”
Everything suddenly clicked—the car, Maverick’s sudden wealth. My heart raced with anger as I realized Maverick had taken the money Gran had left for me. I wasted no time driving to Maverick’s place, ready to confront him.
When I arrived, the convertible was wrecked in the driveway—its bumper smashed, windshield shattered, and tires flat. Maverick, bruised and on crutches, stood at the door. Karma, it seemed, had already visited him.
“Maverick, what happened?” I asked, my anger momentarily giving way to shock.
He avoided my gaze. “It’s… nothing.”
I gestured at the destroyed car. “That doesn’t look like nothing. Why did you take Gran’s money?”
He winced. “I didn’t mean for things to go this way, Juniper. I planned to pay you back, but when I saw that car…”
“You don’t just ‘borrow’ $20,000 that wasn’t left to you,” I said, my voice shaking. “Gran left that money for me. She was the only one who cared, and you took it like it was nothing.”
Before he could respond, my phone buzzed. It was Mr. Clearwater, Gran’s lawyer.
“Juniper,” he said, “your grandmother left more than just $20,000. The rest of her estate—her house, savings, and investments—it’s all yours. She left everything to you.”
I was speechless. Even after her passing, Gran had protected me. She had seen the betrayal coming and made sure I would be taken care of.
Turning to Maverick, who looked both physically and emotionally defeated, I felt a newfound strength. “I hope that car was worth it,” I said, my voice steady. “Because you won’t take anything from me again.”
For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel like the forgotten one. Gran had made sure of that.